Shoe-lace fastener.



10.772,854. PATENTED @(1118, 1904. v P. WILEHART;

SHOE LAGE FSTENBR; Arrucurox 2mm 11113.29, 1904.

No Mopm..

Patented October 18, 1904.

` PATENT GEEICE.

I FRANK WILEHAET, oE OREGON ciTY, oREGoN SHOE-LACE FASTENER. i

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 772,854, dated October18, 1904.I

Application filed March 29, 1904.

To @ZZ whom it 'may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK WILEHART, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Oregon City, in the county of Clackamas and State of Oregon,have invented new and `useful 1mprovements in Shoe-Lace Fasteners, oflwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shoe-lace fasteners,

the object of the .invention being to provide a.V

fastener or holding device for shoe-laces for securing theends of thelaces after the same have been drawn taut through the lace holes orhooks arranged along the flaps of the shoe.

While the fastening device hereinafter described is particularlydesigned for use in connection with ordinary shoes and adapted to be lfully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a shoe,showing one of the shoe-lace fasteners of this invention applied theretoand holding one of the lace ends. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailperspective view of one of the' fasteners. Fig. 3 is a sectional planview of the same. Fig. 4 is a sectional side view of the fastener, andFig. 5 is an outer or top plan view of the same.

Like reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figuresof the drawings. i

The shoe-lace fastener contemplated in this invention is composed of asingle strip of spring material, the strip being preferably composed ofa suitable length of wire.. The said strip or length of wire is bentabout centrally of its length to form a loop 1, and from the bend of theloop the opposite portions of the wire are extended to formoutwardly-converging portions 2 of a pair of spring-jaws, the sameapproaching each other quite closely .at their'free ends 3, where theyare bent upserial No. 200,635. (No model.)

loop 1 to form coils 4, The coils 4: diverge at a greater angle than theside portions 2 of the their extremities to form prongs 6, which inpractice are inserted through the shoe-upper `or other article to whichthe fastening device is applied and clenched against the surface of sucharticle opposite that surface towhich the main body of thefasteningdevice is applied, the said prongs thereby serving to secure the deviceas a whole to the shoe or other article. By reference to Fig. l it willbe observed thatV after the shoe hasbeen laced and the laces drawn tautthe ends of the laces are passed beneath the spring-jaws 2 and betweensaid jaws and the base portion 5, the lace ends being forced back intothe tapering spaces or angles between the spring-jaws and the baseportions 5 until they are frictionallygrasped and securely held thereby.A

By means of the particular construction of shoe-lace fastenerhereinabove described and clearly illustrated in the drawings the laceends may be quickly engaged with and disengaged from the fasteners, andby reason of the fact that the spring-jaws are located between and outof line with the base portions 5 the said lace ends are crimped orabruptly deflected between the parts of the fasteners with which theycome in contact, thus giving free ends of tlie wire after forming' tliecoils being reversed again to iorin substantiallyv parallel baseportions extending' beyond tbe eonveiging,` portions of tlie loop andterniinating in attaclling-prongs.

ln testimony wliei'eoi l allix inv lSignature in presence of tivowitnesses.

FRANK Tl L lill l A lt'l.

lVitnesses:

(. L. Hmm-nas, NVM. (JrALLowAY.

